Caves of Missouri

Image slide caption

Image slide caption

Image slide caption

Image slide caption

Image slide caption

Image slide caption

Image slide caption

Missouri contains over 6,300 known caves, most of them located in the Ozarks region. Missouri is known as “the Cave State” and is second only to Tennessee in number of caves. Missouri caves have a rich history, and were used as dens for hibernating Pleistocene bears, shelter for native Americans, and hideouts for moonshiners. Caves in Missouri have a diverse animal fauna, with over 900 species recorded. And of course, there are the cave formations, or speleothems, formed from deposition of calcite, often with an addition of a mineral or two for color, that make them so enchanting to photograph.